Over the years, the Grammy Awards have shifted focus of its annual show.

While there will always be much ado about the handing out of the golden gramophones, much of the Grammys spotlight is now placed on the performances.

Take last year’s telecast for example: the three-and-a-half-hour ceremony featured a whopping 19 performances, while the show dropped the number of award categories to just 78, compared with the more than 100 of years past

And the 55th annual Grammy Awards are gearing up to be no different. Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson and Sting were all added to the bill of performers on Monday, joining already-announced Justin Timberlake, The Black Keys, fun., The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jack White, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran.

But before millions tune into those artists on music’s biggest night this Sunday, Celebuzzis looking back at some of the best acts to grace the Grammys stage.

From the King of Pop to a soul diva duet, relive the top 10 best performances in the award show’s history.

Janet Jackson (1987)
Though she didn’t take home the Album of the Year trophy for Control, Janet Jackson left her mark on the Grammy ceremony with her show-stopping performance. With the help of her Flyte Time crew and some Paula Abdul choreography, the singer stepped out of the shadow of her larger-than-life big brother, Michael Jackson, with this stirring rendition of “What Have You Done For Me Lately.”

Michael Jackson (1988)
Beginning with just a mic and his dancing shoes, the King of Pop wowed with a slowed-down version of “The Way You Make Me Feel,” before slipping into “Man in the Mirror,” with the aid of a full gospel choir accompanying him.

Whitney Houston (1994)
As one of the most successful female singers of all time, Whitney Houston needed no more than her vocal chords to bring down the house at the Grammy Awards with a booming rendition of “I Will Always Love You.” The Bodyguard soundtrack tune went on to snag Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the ceremony. After this goosebumps-giving rendition, it’s easy to see why.

Eminem and Elton John (2001)
As critics slammed his The Marshall Mathers LP lyrics as homophobic, Eminem took the Grammy stage with out-and-proud musician Elton John, a longtime supporter of the rapper, for a duet of “Stan” that left people’s jaws agape.

Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil Kim, Mya, Patti Labelle (2002)
After remaking the Labelle classic for the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil Kim and Mya were joined on stage legendary singer Patti Labelle for an elaborate glitz-and-glam version of the No. 1 cover of the iconic disco song, “Lady Marmalade.”

U2 and Mary J. Blige (2006)
After U2 opened with “Vertigo,” Mary J. Blige stole to center stage, emotionally belting out her high notes on “One” alongside frontman Bono, offering for a moving performance of the remake that received a Grammy nod for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Kanye West (2005)
Opening with a preacher delivering a sermon from a pulpit, Kanye West strode out onto a stage set up like a church, complete with rows of parishioners. As the rapper spit lines like, “My mama used to say only Jesus can save us,” the churchgoers bounced to the beat in their seats before rising to their feet for the chorus.

Beyonce and Tina Turner (2008)
After more than seven years away from the stage, Tina Turner teamed up with fellow soul diva Beyoncé for a powerful duet of her classic, “Proud Mary.” Introducing the icon to the stage, Bey praised Turner as a “legend” who embodies all “the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent” of some of music’s most famed female performers.

Chris Martin and Jay-Z (2009)
Before Jay-Z and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin‘s musical collaborations turn into a full-blown bromance, the rapper joined the pop-rocker on music’s biggest stage for a stripped down version of “Lost.” After Martin began the song solo, plunking at a colorfully-painted piano, Jay-Z emerged from the darkness to drop his rap verse. It proved a moment of magical music fusion.

Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx, (2005)
As she was riding high on “If I Ain’t Got You” and he was garnering praise for a now Oscar-winning performance in Ray, Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx joined forces on the Grammys stage to pay tribute to rhythm and blues legend Ray Charles. “For an old friend,” Foxx said, fingering the keys of the piano as he and Keys slid into the harmonies of “Georgia,” back by a full orchestra.

What was your favorite performance in Grammy Awards history? Share in the comments below.

Move over Brit Brit! It may be Demi Lovato’s time to shine now.

“I love Demi! I think she’s doing a great job. I want to meet her really bad,” gushed former The X Factor contestant Rachel Crow, at the 2012 Teen Nick Halo Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday.

“I went back to the show and I got to meet all the new judges but I didn’t get to meet Demi, so I was really sad. I love Demi, and she’s a huge inspiration for me,” she added.

Crow is an avid supporter of the anti-bullying movement, similar to the 20-year-old “Stronger” songstress –  who has opened up about her own personal struggles, even sporting 9 tattoos to keep herself on track.

“I feel like bullying is huge right now and needs to stop,” Crow told Celebuzz at the humanitarian award show celebrating teens who give back to the community.

After placing fifith in The X Factor’s first season in 2011, Crow, 14, has earned her own place in the limelight with hit songs such as “Mean Girls,” and she says she hopes to use her power to inspire youth as well.

Watch the full video interview above to also find out what encouraging words nine-time Grammy Award-winner Mary J. Blige had to offer Crow during a set on X Factor.

Which celebrities inspire you? Weigh in below.

Last week, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s opening act was Clint Eastwood. (And an empty chair.) This week, before he gave his acceptance speech last night at the Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama’s opening act was… seemingly everyone else in Hollywood.

There were Scarlett Johansson and Kerry Washington, bringing some Tinseltown glamour and sex appeal to the podium in Charlotte, N.C. There were musical performances by James Taylor, Mary J. Blige, and Foo Fighters (allaying fears organizers expressed earlier that all the top music stars would be too busy attending the MTV VMAs last night in Los Angeles to play for the president in Charlotte). There was a film about Obama’s life narrated by George Clooney and one about veterans narrated by Saving Private Ryan star Tom Hanks. There was a live webcast, hosted by comic actor/former Obama staffer Kal Penn, with guests like Elizabeth Banks. There was even an In Memoriam clip, just like at an awards show, where among the honored Democratic dead was North Carolina native and frequent Obama campaigner Andy Griffith.

And then there was Eva Longoria, dismissing the notion that the assembled stars were just shallow political dilettantes and millionaires with money to burn. In her remarks, the Desperate Housewives star made the connection between the hungry striver she used to be and the millions like her whom she believed would be better served by Democratic policies than Republican ones that allegedly favor only the wealthy. Or, as she put it, “The Eva Longoria who worked at Wendy’s flipping burgers needed a tax break, but the Eva Longoria who works on movie sets does not.”

Given all the assembled glitz, how did President Obama avoid seeming anticlimactic?

The president had several tough acts to follow: not just the assembled stars, but also the knockout speeches delivered by his wife and by Bill Clinton earlier this week. He had planned to give his acceptance speech in a stadium, like he did four years ago, but weather prevented it, and he had to use the same arena the convention had been using all week. Curiously, playing to a merely huge hall instead of a giant stadium actually made his speech seem more intimate and very much like Clinton’s, like a conversation among friends.

He even used some Clintonesque rhetorical flourishes, like when he ribbed the Republicans for advocating tax cuts as the prescription to every ailment. “Take two tax cuts, roll back some regulations, and call me in the morning,” he quipped.

But compared to Clinton’s rambling, largely ad-libbed opus, Obama’s speech was tight and focused on a handful of areas (manufacturing, education, energy, national security, and the deficit) that he said his policies would target for improvement. He used the word “choice” and the word “you” an awful lot, as in, “You have a choice” or “You did this,” in order to remind voters that they have to power to decide the nation’s future, and that they’ve already effected positive change through their votes. It was a little odd to hear so much “you” and so little “I” or “we,” but then, the Repubicans have been hammering the Democrats lately for their emphasis on the necessity of government intervention to make the economy work and help businesses grow. It’s no wonder Obama wouldn’t want to play into that, but still, if there’s any time to say “I” and brag about your accomplishments, it’s when you’re running for re-election against a candidate who accuses you of having done nothing to alleviate the nation’s problems.

Obama may never top the speech he gave at the convention eight years ago, when he was an unknown running for Senate in Illinois, speaking of broad inclusiveness and a non-partisan spirit of optimism (the “hope” and “change” that became his signature themes). Last night, his calls for hope and change were tempered by recognition of practical reality. But then, we’re a different country now. We’re still wowed by stars (including political stars), but we’re skeptical that anyone can fix what’s broken, whether it’s a self-made man or a desperate housewife.

NBC is currently shooting for its fall return of the The Voice and big news just came out of the production. Mary J. Blige is serving as a mentor for Team Adam Levine.

“I love Adam, he’s amazing,” the Grammy-winning soul singer tells Rolling Stone. “I’m so happy to be working with him and his team.”

The Maroon 5 frontman shares in Blige’s enthusiasm. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Mary J. Blige,” he says. “So it’s been great having her on The Voice as an adviser to my team.”

Who else is mentoring?

She joins some talented company. Last week, it was announced that retro-style crooner Michael Buble is serving as country singing judge Blake Shelton’s adviser. And last season, Alanis Morrisette and current Duets judge Robin Thicke mentored Team Adam.

Assuming they go with two mentors for each coach again and since no one has been revealed for Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green, that means there may be as many as six more mentors announced.

Blige, 41, has won nine Grammy awards, four American Music Awards and has eight multi-platinum albums under her belt. Nice nab, Adam!

The Voice returns Sept. 10 to NBC.

• Stay tuned! MTV will re-air an intimate, rarely seen 2007 performance of recently deceased singer Amy Winehouse tomorrow evening. [Idolator]

• Download “STROKED”, Stereogum’s tribute to The Strokes album “This Is It”. [Stereogum]

• Guess which R&B leading lady revealed that she almost died from alcoholism… [The Frisky]

• Trend Alert! Be the envy of all your most fashionable friends and rock this gorgeous galactic print! [Buzznet]

• Watch the cast of True Blood‘s new “It Gets Better” PSA campaign. [Videogum]

• Are Emma Roberts and Chord Overstreet finding love on Notting Hill? Someone has been studying her aunt’s movies. [Buzznet]

• Outraged by the Casey Anthony trial’s outcome? Find out what a member of the jury has to say. [The Frisky]

• Is this really the perfect viral internet video? Watch and judge for yourself. [Videogum]

• Girl Power! Adele, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry all are among the top 10 bestselling albums of 2011! [Idolator]

• New music: Listen to  Mary J. Blige‘s new song, “The Living Proof”.  [Concrete Loop]

Beyonce and Blake Lively joined a bevvy of blinged-out beauties at the launch of jeweler-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz’s new “2BHappy” collection in New York Monday night.

White-hot host Beyonce mingled with pal Mary J. Blige and the ever-sexy Kim Kardashian at Lavo. All of the ladies sparkled in Schwartz earrings, bangles and other ice. As chummy as the gals seemed with each other, they proved diamonds really might be a girl’s best friend!

Click through to be blinded by the jewels of Beyonce, Blake and Kim and tell us in the comments – who was best dressed?

It’s a Hollywood baby boom!

Congratulations are in order for Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats!

The R&B singer gave birth to her first child, a boy named Egypt Dean, late Thursday night in New York.

Alicia and Swizz began dating in May 2009 and tied the knot in July of this year.

Mary J. Blige was one of the first to congratulate the couple by tweeting her well-wishes:

“I’m So excited 2 Congratulate my brother @ therealswizzz and @Alicia keys on there New, baby, boy!!!!!!!”

Swizz also tweeted his gratitude for the new addition:

“I’m so thankful for everything I been blessed with in my life wowwwwww! #realtalk”

All the best to Alicia and Swizz on their baby boy!

Love Mariah Carey? Now you can buy a little piece of her from the comfort of your living room.

The “Touch My Body” singer is teaming up with HSN to launch a Mariah-branded lifestyle collection. The line–which will include footwear, jewelry and a limited edition version of her fragrance Luscious Pink–will hit the airwaves on November 29.

Mariah isn’t the first star to head on over to HSN to launch her brand: Mary J. Blige broke HSN records in August with her fragrance, My Life. Stars like Kim Kardashian have also taken to TV-based shopping networks to sell their products.

Don’t worry Mimi fans: The line will have Mariah’s name but you won’t need her income level to purchase her wares. The prices will reportedly remain between $20 and $200.

Predications for Mariah’s HSN line? Lots of butterflies, glitter and pink: In short, it will be awesome, just like the diva herself. Will you buy stuff from Mariah’s HSN line? Share your thoughts in the comments.

• Alec Baldwin says that he wants out of 30 Rock (and show business) when his contract is up in 2012. Alec, no! (PopEater)

• Former Saturday Night Live star Rachel Dratch is pregnant with her first child. Congratulations, Rachel! (Wonderwall)

• A group of plastic surgeons say that Lindsay Lohan‘s drug abuse and tanning addiction has made her look like she is 35 rather than 24. (Hollywood Life)

• Geek goddess and Daily Show correspondent Olivia Munn wrote a book! Look for it on the shelves of awkward geeky boys in college dorms across America. (Starpulse)

• Is recent high school graduate and R&B legend Mary J. Blige heading for Howard University? Hey, it’s never too late to go back to school. (Bossip)

If you watched the final 10 minutes of last night’s American Idol, your life was probably forever changed by a 62 year-old man named General Larry Platt. The Atlanta native shocked the judges with his very own ditty called “Pants On The Ground.”

Simon‘s reaction? “I have a horrible feeling that song could be a hit,” he grumbled (with an all-too-knowing smirk on his face). Immediately after, the hilarious song was a trending topic on Twitter, merchandise already getting ready for sale, with remixes spreading like wildfire on YouTube. 

Turn your volume up as high as it will go, watch the original below, and then check out our favorite covers (so far) of “Pants On The Ground.” Spoiler Alert: this may be the best song in the history of life.

Acoustic Cover:

Little boy dancing:

And the dance remix, obvi:

What do you think about “Pants On The Ground?”

Can the power or prayer transform the world’s biggest jackass into a decent, thoughtful human being?

Mary J. Blige is certainly hoping so.

The “Real Love” singer tells Us Magazine that she’s busting out the Hail Marys in hopes that Kanye West can turn his life around and stop humiliating teenage country singers at nationally televised awards shows.

“I pray that whatever’s going on with him, he deals with it,” Blige told the magazine on Wednesday while attending a Gucci party in New York.

Better bust out the industrial-strength rosary and put on the kneepads, Mary; something tells us you’re going to be praying for a long time.

Tell us in the comments section: Are you willing to join Mary J. Blige in praying for Kanye West, so that he might recover from his seemingly terminal jackassery?

Wil.I.Am premiered his “America’s Song” on the Oprah Winfrey show yesterday. One of the Black-Eyed Peas, producer Wil.I.Am says that the song, a collaboration with composer David Foster, was an attempt to create a new anthem for the United States. “The meaning of this song is being proud of America,” he said to Winfrey. “I wanted to write the new American anthem for this day and age — for this generation.” Us reports that the song also features the voices of Faith Hill, Seal, Mary J. Blige, and Bono of U2.

Vice-President elect Joe Biden‘s wife Jill had a verbal slip yesterday on Oprah Winfrey’s show when she unwittingly revealed that her husband had the choice of being either Vice-President or Secretary of State in the Obama administration. Biden’s husband held his finger to his lips and said “shhhh!” to his wife, while the audience laughed. “Ok, he did,” Mrs. Biden said in defense. The position of Secretary of State eventually went to Hillary Clinton.

The inaugural balls that the Obamas are NOT visiting are in danger of being cancelled before this evening. TMZ reports that the the Heroes Red, White & Blue Ball had to cancel appearances from Jamie Foxx, Slash and rapper Nas because funding was difficult with the Obamas not visiting. The People’s Ball, the American Music Ball, and the Veterans Ball are all reportedly in danger of being cancelled. The Obama family are reportedly already visiting 10 balls tonight.

Jim Carrey and Ewan MacGregor play two men who fall in love in I Love You, Phillip Morris, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival followed by a question and answer session with the actors. The New York Post reports that the film features some makeout sessions between the two stars. “A dream come true. I mean, look at the guy,” Carrey said when asked what it was like to kiss MacGregor.

Country singer Jo Dee Messina has given birth to her first child with husband Chris Deffenbaugh. People reports that Noah Roger Deffenbaugh was born in a Nashville hospital at 1:01 p.m. yesterday, weighing in at 6 lbs., 15 oz.

Kevin James‘ first starring role in Paul Blart: Mall Cop has resulted in a #1 film. Box Office Mojo reports that the comedy, in which James plays an overweight and diabetic mall security guard, earned $33.8 million at the box office over the weekend. Clint Eastwood‘s Gran Torino took the #2 spot, and has grossed over $73 million since its release on Jan 9.

80s icon Boy George is already having a tough time in prison, according to The Sun. The singer, serving a 15 month sentence for imprisoning and beating a male prostitute, is reportedly “terrified” that he will be attacked. George was given a job as a server in the canteen, and sources say that the reportedly easy job he was given won’t be viewed well by other inmates. “He kept sobbing, ‘I can’t go to jail, I’ll be killed’,” while in a courtroom holding cell prior to his transfer, according to a source.

Dollhouse actress Eliza Dushku revealed at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend that her production company has secured the rights to controversial photographer Robert Mappelthorpe‘s life story for a biopic. “Literally this week after quite some time, we finalized the deal with the Mapplethorpe estate,” Dushku told E! in Park City, Utah. Dushku’s brother Nate, who is said to bear a strong resemblance to the artist, will portray Mappelthorpe.

There was a reported battle over Keyshia Cole singing a Mary J. Blige song during a segment honoring her at the BET Awards on Saturday night, according to the New York Daily News. Mary J.’s manager and husband Kendu Isaac allegedly strongly objected to the choice of Cole. He thought there was already too much comparison between Keyshia and Mary,” a source said. “They were going back and forth on it all week. It got ugly.” Cole ultimately did not sing a Blige song.

The Inauguration parties were on this weekend, according to TMZ. Not only was the huge We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial held this weekend but other smaller parties were as well. TMZ reports that D.C.’s L2 Lounge cleared their club of regular patrons at 3 AM to allow Will.I.Am of the Black-Eyed Peas to party undisturbed with entourage and friends

Barack Obama won’t officially become the 44th President of the United States until Tuesday, but that didn’t stop a galaxy of stars from celebrating the changing of the guard on Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial for the We Are One concert in Washington, DC, on Sunday, MTV.com reports.

Actor Denzel Washington opened the festivities with a speech imploring the crowd to remember the event’s theme of unity, while Tom Hanks paid tribute to Abraham Lincoln.

But it was the music that was the true stand-out of the gathering.

Bruce Springsteen riled up the crowd with a performance of his post-9/11 anthem “The Rising.” Springsteen was the first in a long procession of musical talents to perform for Obama, 47. Mary J. Blige belted out an impassioned rendition of “Lean on Me,” followed by Jon Bon Jovi dueting with Bettye LaVette on the Sam Cook classic “A Change Is Gonna Come.” John Mellencamp performed his hit “Ain’t That America,” while Sheryl Crow and the Black Eyed Peas‘ will.i.am collaborated on Bob Marley‘s “One Love.”

Usher, Shakira and Stevie Wonder came together to deliver a performance of Wonder’s  “Higher Ground,”‘ while U2 cranked out “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “City of Blinding Lights.”

The Dublin quartet was followed by Obama himself, who discussed the challenges that the nation faces and the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Lincoln.

Country singer Garth Brooks and Beyonce Knowles, who’ll be singing during the first dance for President-elect Obama and his wife Michelle at his inaugural ball on Tuesday, also performed.

Though details on the event have yet to be finalized, one thing is for sure: President-elect Barack Obama‘s inauguration will be a star-studded affair.

One of the many events the Presidential Inaugural Committee will be sponsoring is “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial,” which will be a 90-minute concert beginning Sunday at 2 p.m. HBO will air the historical performances at 7 p.m. that evening.

Scheduled to appear at “We Are One”: U2, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Bruce Springsteen, Usher, Will.I.Am, John Mellencamp, Shakira, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, John Legend, Heather Headley and Sugarland‘s Jennifer Nettles.

MTV reports that many of the artists will perform covers of songs with historical importance, to note the fact that Obama, 46, is taking office in a difficult time in the nation’s history.

Historical passages will be read by Denzel Washington, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx and Martin Luther King III.

“It’s not a celebration of victory; it’s about the country coming together for the future we’re going to face,” says the event’s executive producer, George Stevens Jr.

“There’s a sense of history about it. Much of the music will be in the context of that history. The Lincoln Memorial is a kind of sacred site.”

Among other events, the Lincoln Memorial is notable for being the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s August 23, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom rally, where he delivered his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech.

Life’s definitely not a drag for Tyler Perry these days.

The director/actor/writer/producer of Madea film-series fame became the first African-American to open his own major TV and film studio on Saturday night, People magazine reports.

The facility, located at the former Delta airlines headquarters in Atlanta, was launched with a gala event attended by Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Sidney Poitier, Cicely Tyson and baseball legend Hank Aaron, among many other luminaries.

The evening was marked by musical performances by Mary J. Blige, Patti Labelle and Gladys Knight as well.

In a testimonial to the Why Did I Get Married? actor/writer—who grew up amid troubled circumstances in New Orleans—Smith noted, “He is not letting anyone get in his way…Those are the wonderfully naïve, arrogant, humble, powerfully American concepts that make things powerful in this country. It’s big.”